Battery packs often include one or more energy storage components that are placed within a battery pouch. The battery pouch often includes one or more edges and these edges are often sealed. FIG. 1A illustrates sealing of an edge of such a prior art battery pack.
As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the battery pack 101 includes an energy storage component 105 positioned within a top battery pouch portion 102A and a bottom battery pouch portion 103A. A top edge portion 102B of the top battery pouch portion and a bottom edge portion 103B of the bottom battery pouch portion project from a side of the battery pack.
Typically, the top edge portion and bottom edge portion are sealed together and may then be folded upward approximately ninety degrees, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. However, as can be seen in FIG. 1B, folding the sealed top edge portion and bottom edge portion upward increases a horizontal dimension of the battery pack, thereby increasing the “footprint” (i.e., horizontal space occupied by the battery).
In some cases, the sealed portions are not folded at all. However, not folding of the sealed portions further increases the horizontal dimensions of the battery as horizontal space is required for the entire area of the sealed portions.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, the sealed top edge portion and bottom edge portion could be folded downward one hundred and eighty degrees. However, in addition to the increase in the vertical dimension of the battery illustrated as the area “z,” this would still increase the horizontal dimension of the battery by the portion of the fold in the “x1” area. Further, most sealed battery pouch edges cannot be folded up to one hundred and eighty degrees without cracking and/or otherwise compromising the seal.
Further, corners of battery packs can also result in increases to horizontal battery dimensions. FIG. 4A illustrates a typical battery pack 401 that has a corner where two edges (402 and 403) of the battery 404 meet. The battery pack has a pouch edge 405 corresponding to the battery edge 402 and a pouch edge 406 corresponding to the battery edge 403. As illustrated, the pouch edges 405 and 406 are contiguous, meeting at and forming a pouch edge corner.
However, when the pouch edges are sealed and folded upward (as illustrated in FIG. 4B), creases 407 (or folds) may form. These creases may extend the horizontal dimension of the corner. As such, the creases may increase the horizontal space occupied by the battery pack.